National Cancer Screening Service / Free Screening Programmes

Cancer is one of the main causes of death in Ireland. If you have any concerns regarding cancer or have a family history of cancer or have symptoms that you are worried about, you should contact your family doctor (GP).

Screening means checking your body for cancer before you have symptoms and the National Cancer Screening Service provides the following population based cancer screening programmes:

BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme
CervicalCheck, the National Cervical Screening Programme
BowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme
What’s the Aim of Screening Programmes?
These programmes aim to reduce morbidity and mortality in the population through early detection of disease and treatment, both of which greatly improve health outcomes.

A screening test is designed for populations of individuals who do not have any symptoms of disease. It aims to identify those with a risk marker for a disease and ensure early treatment. A screening test is not a diagnostic test, which is designed for individuals with symptoms of a disease or for those identified with a risk marker to assess whether they have it or to follow its progress.

How to I Access a Screening Programme?
Screening programmes internationally and in Ireland are based on a call /re-call system, where eligible populations are invited to take part and clinical services are provided for the further investigation and treatment of people identified as at risk of having or developing a disease.

BreastCheck
BreastCheck is the national breast screening programme. The aim of the programme is to find breast cancer early and to provide treatment of breast cancer in women who show no symptoms of the disease. Breast screening does not find all breast cancer. But screening has been proven to lower the number of women dying from breast cancer. The programme offers all women between the ages of 50 and 69 a mammogram (an x-ray of the breast) free of charge every 2 years.

BreastCheck compile and maintain a register of women eligible for screening. Your details should automatically be on the register. Contact BreastCheck on freephone 1800 45 45 55 for further information.

CervicalCheck
CervicalCheck is a national screening programme to prevent cervical cancer. The programme provides free cervical screening tests to people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 65. A HPV cervical screening test is a simple procedure that only takes minutes. It is the most effective way to detect HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and changes in the cells of the cervix.
If you have any questions or concerns about the screening programme, contact CervicalCheck on Freephone 1800 45 45 55.

If you have any concerns about cervical cancer, have a family history of cervical cancer or have symptoms of cervical cancer, you should contact your family doctor (GP). CervicalCheck will send invitation letters to anyone on the CervicalCheck register who is aged between 25 and 65.
You should already be on the register if you:
Are between 25 and 65 and have a PPS number or
Have previously had a test through CervicalCheck
When you receive your invitation letter, you should contact a registered GP or nurse to make an appointment.

BowelScreen
BowelScreen is the National Bowel Screening Programme which offers free bowel screening to people aged 60 to 69 every 2 years. Bowel screening aims to detect signs of bowel cancer at an early stage, where there are no symptoms. The test is free and is done by you at home.
You need to be on the bowel screening register to be sent an invitation to receive a home screening test kit.
BowelScreen puts together a register of people eligible for screening from details supplied by the Department of Social Protection, General Medical Services and private health insurance providers. However, some people are not included on any of these lists so if you haven’t received an invitation for bowel screening, you can check if you are on the register online or by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55.

Contact your GP if you have any symptoms of bowel cancer. Never ignore symptoms, even if you have had a recent normal screening result.